Vanderbilt and the union representing approximately 600 of Vanderbilt's lowest-paid workers have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract.

The new contract will bring the base pay for Vanderbilt's lowest-paid workers up to $10 an hour within the next two years.

The lowest-paid workers at Vanderbilt currently receive $7.55 an hour.

Members of the Laborers International Union of North America are expected to approve the contract at 5 p.m. today in the Parthenon Room of the Marriott Hotel adjacent to campus.

"Overall, we are pleased with the agreement," said Beau Worsham, the union representative in Vanderbilt's negotiations. "It represents money the university said would not be forthcoming."

In order to make the final offer available, Vanderbilt administrators shifted $1 million from academic programs and financial aid. Vanderbilt spokesperson Mike Schoenfeld said this money reallocation should not impact Vanderbilt's "continued momentum."

"Vanderbilt constantly reprioritizes to respond to new needs," Schoenfeld said. "This will not and should not affect forward momentum. Nevertheless, a million less dollars spent on those programs ..."

Negotiations between the union and Vanderbilt began in September and ended Wednesday with the help of a federal negotiator.

In January, the union vetoed Vanderbilt's final offer, which also established a base rate of $10 an hour within the second year of the contract and a 3 percent across-the-board increase. The union voted against the contract because they did not receive the 4 percent across-the-board increase they believed they deserved.

The current contract would provide an increase of 3 percent in the first year of the contract and an increase of 3.5 percent in the second and third years of the agreement, closer to the union's original goal of 4 percent.

It also allows for the implementation of a new program that will provide opportunities for lower-paid employees to earn additional pay increases based on service and performance and includes increases in shift differentials and on-call pay.

"We are committed to bring all workers up to living wage," Worsham said. "We are a lot closer to our goal. We couldn't accomplish everything that we wanted this year, but through all the trials and tribulations, we have reached an agreement we can recommend to our membership, and we believe it will be approved."

Grounded in the idea that someone who works full time should not have to live in poverty or rely on public assistance, the living wage is calculated differently by supporters for every city.

The living wage in Nashville, as calculated in 2005 by the student-led Living Income for Vanderbilt Employees organization, is $10.18 an hour or $42,336 a year for a dual-income family of four.